Dr. Winnail: Together on the Sabbath for a Reason

Dr. Douglas Winnail

In his latest update, LCG’s Dr. D. Winnail had the following:

Together on the Sabbath—for a Reason! We are admonished in the Scriptures to encourage one another, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some” (Hebrews 10:24-25). In the New Testament we see how the members of the early Church gathered together on the Sabbath “with one accord in one place” to worship, hear instruction and to fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:1; 13:14, 44). In doing so, they were following the commandment to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8) and the example of Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16) and the apostle Paul (Acts 17:2). Today, with easy access to personal television sets, computers and DVD or CD players, some assume that all that is necessary on the Sabbath is to stay home and watch a sermon. Yet this overlooks the importance of gathering together to worship and fellowship with other believers—which involves giving, sharing, learning to relate to other people and being part of a team. We have been called to become part of God’s family and commissioned to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. The reality of that vision is enhanced when we come together on God’s Sabbath with others of like mind who share that same focus!

Many believe that they can be Christians and do not need to get together with others on the Sabbath, but they are in error (and I am NOT referring to those that cannot because of distance, health, etc.).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Marcion: The First Protestant? Considered to have been an organized heretic, he taught against the Old Testament, the law, and the Sabbath. Some have considered him to be the first Protestant reformer. But was he?
Another Look at the Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath Did Ignatius write against the Sabbath and for Sunday? What about the Didache? What does the actual Greek reveal?
Sunday and Christianity Was Sunday observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians? Who clearly endorsed Sunday?